The Board has granted service connection for the appellant's knee and shoulder disorders, but determined that no effective date earlier than September 13, 2007 can be assigned as the claims were not filed within one year of separation from active duty.
The deciding factor: The February 1991 rating decision denying service connection was final because the appellant did not file a timely appeal and no new evidence was received during the applicable time period. The April 1993 denial of reopening also became final as there was no new evidence received within one year of the decision.
- Claimed conditions
- Traumatic arthritis of the right knee, Osteoarthritis of the left knee, Right shoulder rotator cuff tear, Left shoulder labral tear plus rotator cuff tendonosis and subacromial subdeltoid bursitis, Instability of the left knee
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- March 6, 2014
- Citation
- 1409484
This is a plain-language summary generated by AI from a public Board of Veterans’ Appeals decision. It can contain errors — always verify against the original. Look up the original decision on VA.gov (opens in a new tab) using citation 1409484.
What this means for you
A grant means the Board agreed the veteran was entitled to the benefit. Decisions like this show the kind of evidence and arguments that tend to succeed for claims like it.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Denied
The Veteran's SMC based on need for regular aid and attendance or housebound status is denied as his service-connected disabilities did not render him so helpless that he needed regular aid and attendance. The criteria for SMC at the housebound rate have also not been met.
- Denied
The Veteran's claim for eligibility for specially adapted housing and special home adaptation grant was denied as he does not meet the criteria for a qualifying total service-connected disability rating or loss of use of lower extremities.
- Granted
The Veteran's right shoulder rotator cuff tear is granted as service connected, with the Board finding a causal link between his in-service injury and current symptoms.
- Remanded (sent back)
The claims for higher initial ratings for degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine, osteoarthritis of the right and left knees, and left ankle strain are remanded due to inadequate VA compensation examination reports.
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